News Article by AFP posted on October 29, 2000 at 09:27:29: EST (-5 GMT)
Sudan asks UN, Arab League, OAU to monitor its elections
CAIRO, Oct 29 (AFP) - Sudan has asked the United Nations, the
Arab
League and the Organsiation of African Unity (OAU) to monitor
its
presidential and legislative elections in December, a Sudanese
official said
Sunday.
Sudan's permanent representative to the Arab League, Ahmed Abdel
Halim,
told reporters in Cairo that the requests were made "in line
with Sudan's
desire to run these elections in a democratic and
transparent atmosphere."
Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdel Meguid said the League
had
agreed to the Sudanese request.
The vote to elect Sudan's president and members of parliament
will start
on December 11 and run for 10 days, with results to be
announced on December
24.
Some Sudanese opposition groups have charged that the elections
will be
rigged while others say the government should concentrate on
finding a
peaceful end to 17 years of civil war before organising
elections.